1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a sectional-type ironing as well as to an ironing table and a pressing apparatus which use the sectional-type ironing board.
2. Background Art
In order to facilitate the ironing of small, cylindrically shaped garment portions such as the sleeves of a garment or a child's trousers, a small-size ironing board is available in the prior art. The ironing board has a small width that allows it to be inserted into the cylindrical portion and is adapted so that it can be moved up and down freely relative to a base.
The present applicant has proposed an ironing board in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) No. 2-12399, in which the aforementioned small-size ironing board having a small width is integrally provided on an ironing board having a large width and is capable of being separated from the larger ironing board.
Thus, the trouble involved in separately preparing a small-size ironing board and an ordinary ironing board is eliminated. In addition, the ironing board can be used for cylindrical garment portions having a small diameter, such as sleeves and children's trousers, and for shoulder portions as well. The ironing board also occupies a small space.
The present applicant has made a further proposal in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-76452 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,421), in which the working surface of an ironing board on which an iron acts is curved or rounded to reduce the force needed to operate the iron, and is formed to have a large number of projections the spaces between which are filled with steam so that the steam will be capable of acting upon a garment more efficiently. In addition, the base portion of the ironing board is capable of being formed using a resin material.
However, though the ironing board disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 2-12399 is convenient in that a small-size ironing board used for garment sleeves or the like can be integrated with an ordinary ironing board, the working surface acted upon by the iron is flat, and therefore a problem encountered is that the force required for manipulating the iron is the same as in the conventional flat ironing board.
On the other hand, the ironing board disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-76452 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,421) has its working surface provided with the multiplicity of projections, and the base portion of the ironing board, which consists of a resin material, is capable of being molded and made light in weight to make the board easier to handle. In addition, the working surface is made curved so that the force needed for operating the iron can be reduced. However, a problem which arises is that a small cylindrical portion, such as the sleeve of a garment or the leg of a child's trousers, cannot be fitted onto the ironing board and then ironed.
Furthermore, in a conventional pressing apparatus, a flat pressing head which acts upon a flat ironing board is supported so as to rotate freely, by way of example. One problem which arises is that a garment placed upon the flat ironing board moves when it is contacted by the flat pressing head. Another problem is that a garment tends to wrinkle since it is not pressed evenly and uniformly when contacted by the pressing head.